Our people

Tony is a consultant providing advisory and project management services to private and public sector organisations on commercial transactions, strategy and regulatory policy. He has a deep and long knowledge of the electricity industry having led the officials’ team in restructuring the electricity industry to form the wholesale market in the 1990s, and subsequently contributing to market design processes in various capacities, recently as chair of the Electricity Authority’s Market Development Advisory Group (2018-24).

Tony has also project-managed a range of major M&A and capital markets transactions in the electricity and gas industries.

His body of regulatory and restructuring experience includes assisting in various strategic reviews, chairing the telco industry’s ‘unbundling’ of Telecom’s local loop network, and earlier leading the project team for the Government’s initiative to deregulate and corporatise nine statutory producer boards. Tony was a member of the Policy Advisory Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (1991-98), and a lawyer at Chapman Tripp in Wellington practicing in corporate and securities law. Tony’s details are at www.tonybaldwin.co.nz

Tony was appointed to our Board in December 2025 for a four-year term.

Ben has over 25 years’ market, operational and commercial experience across all parts of the energy value chain in Australia, the United States, Chile, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom.

During that time, he has held a range of executive and governance roles, leading risk, business development and project development teams in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Most recently this has included positions as the Director of BID Energy Partners, the Executive General Manager of Business Development at ATCO Australia and the Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, GFG Alliance.

Ben holds Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of Auckland and was previously admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand as well as being a Chartered Accountant.

Ben was appointed to our Board in December 2025 for a four-year term.

Paula is a Canterbury based director with a background in regulatory organisations in governance, management, policy and practitioner roles. She has over a decade of governance experience in Crown and non-profit organisations.

Paula’s current roles include Deputy Chief Commissioner Te Kāhui Tātari Ture Criminal Cases Review Commission and Commissioner with the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. She is a long-term volunteer with Hato Hone St John, is a Board Member on their Priory Board, and was made a Commander of the Order of St John in 2025. She holds a Queen's Service Order (QSO).

Paula was appointed to our Board on 16 January 2023 for a five year term.

Hayden leads our Wholesale and Supply team. He is an experienced leader and strategic advisor with a background in policy, regulation and technology in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Hayden is skilled in problem analysis, policy design, network economics and stakeholder engagement.

He has held senior roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Sapere Research Group, Figure.NZ and Vodafone New Zealand.

Mark leads our Corporate and Market Services. This team is responsible for our service providers who operate the electricity market efficiently and facilitate market development, and for internal functions including procurement, planning and reporting, finance, IT, risk and assurance.

Prior to joining the Electricity Authority, Mark was Group Manager for Markets and Business at Transpower New Zealand, where he led market policy, security of supply, regulation, reporting and change delivery.

Mark has also worked in a variety of leadership roles for the UK’s National Grid across functions including strategy, innovation, and code change. He brings strategic experience, stakeholder management skills and an extensive industry background to the role.

Andrew leads our Retail and Consumer group, which is responsible for empowering and protecting consumers so that they can benefit for a secure, competitive, and affordability electricity market.

Andrew has extensive experience in public policy with a particular interest in using new and innovative models of policy development to help resolve difficult policy problems.

Prior to joining the Electricity Authority, Andrew was a Managing Principal at MartinJenkins. He has also worked for over 10 years in a number of government agencies as both a policy adviser and a policy manager. This included roles with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry for the Environment, and the former Department of Building and Housing.

Andrew has specialised skills in climate, energy and natural resources policy. He has worked on domestic and international climate change issues, on upstream and downstream energy policy development, and on marine policy.

Zoe leads our Communications, Engagement and Data team.

With extensive experience in communications, strategy, stakeholder and government relations, Zoe has led communications and media teams at Oranga Tamariki and WorkSafe New Zealand, and senior roles at the Ministry of Education, Health and Standards New Zealand.

Educated in law, arts and journalism, Zoe has also provided communications management and advice in the not-for-profit, industry training and industry dispute resolution sectors, including at Utilities Disputes.